Loading the spacecraft with propellant is the next milestone on the path to launch.
Spacecraft fueling has begun for the upcoming Crew Flight Test (CFT) as the Starliner team prepares to send its first crew to the International Space Station.
The Starliner spacecraft, consisting of a reusable crew module and expendable service module, was recently moved into the Hazardous Processing Area at Boeing’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility (C3PF) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Fueling the spacecraft will take a little more than two weeks.
Conducting the propellant loading operation is a team made up of specially trained technicians, as well as fluids, propellant and electrical test engineers. To perform the operation, technicians wear what’s called a SCAPE suit. SCAPE stands for Self-Contained Atmospheric Protective Ensemble and the suit protects them from any hazardous commodities. Throughout the operation, test teammates monitor the spacecraft, including sensors and valves, as well as the environment within the C3PF.
Following fueling, final closeout activities will be performed for the spacecraft’s rollout from the factory to United Launch Alliance’s Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Closeout activities include removing propellant access panels, placing environmental covers over the spacecraft’s thrust nozzle outlets, performing thermal protection system work, checking the spacecraft’s final weight and center of gravity, and loading it onto the transport vehicle.